Clinical Care in the Department of Anesthesiology

Anesthesiology arose as a medical specialty because the dangers associated with anesthetic drugs and techniques demanded that they be administered by skilled and knowledgeable physicians. Anesthesiologists have been pioneers in patient safety and have demonstrated to our colleagues in other specialties how medical care may be delivered more safely through structured interventions and appropriate applications of technology. Great strides have been made in improving acute outcomes associated with surgery and anesthesia.

The anesthesia care team at Washington University is made up of world-renowned specialist anesthesiologists, anesthesiology residents, talented fellows, and certified registered nurse anesthetists. We pride ourselves in our professionalism, teamwork, and the high quality of care that we offer to all our patients.

Our anesthesia team participates in the care of patients ranging from premature babies to those who are older and vulnerable. We are integral team members in the obstetric suite, and are called on to assist wherever in the hospital a patient is an acute distress. We staff the preoperative assessment clinic, we help to ensure the smooth running of the operating rooms, we care for patients in the postoperative recovery units, we are available to treat severe pain, and we attend in the surgical and cardiothoracic intensive care units.

The anesthesia team is present for the entire period around your time of surgery for each of the more than 80,000 surgical procedures conducted annually at Washington University affiliated hospitals.